CARLSBAD >> Congressman Steve Pearce, R-Hobbs, traveled to Guatemala and Honduras over the weekend to meet with both Central American presidents and tour the nations from which many women and children are fleeing, causing a surge of illegal immigration in the United States.

Pearce told reporters on Wednesday he was surprised by the mood of Central Americans in their home country.

"Basically the message that I heard and came back with was the countries are saying 'Send back our children,'" Pearce said. "They absolutely are fearful of losing a lot of the next generation (The Guatemalan and Honduran presidents) are saying that most of the people coming don't look at the American dream, they have a Central American dream and the one where they make enough money to come home. They said that they're talking to people who currently have been here in the U.S. for 20 years and they want to transition back and bring their assets and wealth back."

Both Guatemala and Honduras rank in the top five countries in the world for number of homicides and, while that is one of the factors driving family units to risk the daring trip north to the United States, Pearce said that there are other factors in play as well.

"The surge is being caused by a combination of things, it's not one (thing)," Pearce said. "A very small percent appears to actually be driven by the violence, (and) that's their countries and ours saying the same thing. And then the cartels, of course, they're making a lot of money this is becoming a huge revenue generator and that's a big deal."

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Pearce said there have been roughly 50,000 border crossings recorded this year in a six-month span up to June, generating near $1 billion in revenues for the cartels who can charge anywhere from $5,000 up to $10,000 for one or two attempts.

Pearce also referenced demand in the United States for cocaine and methamphetamines as another contributor to the spike in border crossings. He said that many Central Americans looking to cross illegally into the United States will tag along with drug runners to increase their odds of finding safe access.

However before the Central Americans arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border, those who migrate illegally into the United States first pass by way of raft via the Rio Usumacinta. That river marks the border of southern Mexico and northern Guatemala and originates from the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Pearce said that he thinks the United States should focus on aiding Mexico in securing the Rio Usumacinta and stop the problem before migrants arrive in one of the U.S. border states.

"The river between Guatemala and Mexico is a gateway to Mexico and the U.S. for all of Central America, so my position has been 'Why don't we increase the security at that border?'" Pearce said. "Frankly we have a security problem on our southern border, but the people who are coming across the border right now are just walking in and giving themselves up."

Pearce said that he and other members of the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. are in the process of developing a policy recommendation to give to Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio. Pearce is hopeful that legislative action will be taken by August.